Copenhagen is opening a man-made ski resort and slope
that will be powered by the city's garbage. Why is this important? It cuts down
on the usage of fossil energy and its waste. This is great for this city
because it’s another step towards their goal of becoming carbon-neutral by the
year 2025.
But
what does this have to do with the fight against energy poverty?
Fossil energy emissions are a culprit of the recent temperature change that we
have seen. The temperature change causes a shift in the normal weather patterns
and has been linked to some of the worst natural disasters in recent years. By
using trash as a means of creating electricity and heat, instead of the means
that typically use the fossil fuels, the energy is cleaner.
Not
everybody agrees that this should be a means to celebrate. Many
environmentalists feel that this would encourage people to throw things away,
instead of using the methods of reducing, reusing and recycling. There is also
the fact that despite this ski slope and lodging using trash to power it, there
is still an emission of carbon-dioxide and this will increase by about 43%.
Is
the fact that this trash-burning slope is a potential step in the right
direction of carbon-neutral goals even significant? Fossil
fuels are a culprit of the changing temperature and weather patterns around the
globe, which is difficult for people without the proper modern energy to combat
against, yes. And burning this trash instead of letting it sit in landfills is
a nice initial thought. However, the cost to build such a facility could be
brought to the forefront. Is the millions
of dollars required to build the slope money well spent? Or could these funds
be spent towards finding a means of giving those who’re experiencing energy
poverty in these harsh climates a better choice?
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